U.S. patent number 5,738,544 [Application Number 08/673,224] was granted by the patent office on 1998-04-14 for shielded electrical connector.
This patent grant is currently assigned to The Whitaker Corporation. Invention is credited to Wayne Samuel Davis.
United States Patent |
5,738,544 |
Davis |
April 14, 1998 |
Shielded electrical connector
Abstract
Connector (10) includes a shell (14) having a forward end (18)
adapted to engage the periphery of a panel cutout (92), by way of
flanges (24) and a pair of tabs (26) engageable with a panel strip
(96) separating two portions (94) of the cutout associated with
separate plug connectors receivable into respective cavities
(20,22) to be matable with connector (10) at the cutout.
Inventors: |
Davis; Wayne Samuel
(Harrisburg, PA) |
Assignee: |
The Whitaker Corporation
(Wilmington, DE)
|
Family
ID: |
24701769 |
Appl.
No.: |
08/673,224 |
Filed: |
June 27, 1996 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
439/607.37 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H01R
13/74 (20130101); H01R 13/6596 (20130101); H01R
13/6582 (20130101); H01R 12/716 (20130101); H01R
12/724 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
H01R
13/74 (20060101); H01R 13/658 (20060101); H01R
013/648 () |
Field of
Search: |
;439/607,610,676,101,108 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Other References
US. Patent Application Serial No. 08/629,485 filed Apr. 10, 1996
(Abstract and Drawings only included). .
U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 08/653,144 filed May 24, 1996
(Abstract and Drawings only included)..
|
Primary Examiner: Vu; Hien
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Ness; Anton P.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. An electrical connector of the type mountable at a cutout of a
conductive panel of an electronic apparatus, comprising:
an insulative housing having plug receiving cavities extending
rearwardly from a mating face and aligned with the cutout for
receipt of respective plug connectors thereinto for connector
mating, with an array of contacts secured therein all within a
metal shell for shielding thereof, with the metal shell having a
forward end associated with the panel cutout and exposing plug
receiving cavities of the housing in alignment with the cutout for
mating with respective plug connectors,
the metal shell having an array of panel-engaging flanges disposed
about the forward end thereof to establish electrical connections
with the periphery of the panel cutout, and
the metal shell further including a pair of tabs at its forward end
traversing the mating face angled forwardly and inwardly toward
each other between the plug-receiving cavities,
whereby shielding is enhanced by ground connections established by
the metal shell with the conductive panel intermediate the
plug-receiving cavities when the panel cutout comprises a pair of
cutouts separated by an integral strip joining opposed sides of the
panel cutout periphery.
2. The electrical connector as set forth in claim 1 wherein
additional tabs extend outwardly and at an angle forwardly from the
metal shell forward end to assuredly engage the panel cutout
periphery.
3. An electrical arrangement of a shielded connector and a
conductive panel of an apparatus having a cutout permitting
connector mating at an input/output port of the apparatus,
comprising:
said conductive panel having a cutout therethrough permitting
insertion therethrough of plug connectors, and
said connector having a metal shell surrounding an insulative
housing, and the connector having separate plug-receiving cavities
extending rearwardly from a mating face exposed forming with plug
connectors at a forward end of the petal shell, the metal shell
having panel-engaging flanges extending forwardly from the forward
end thereof extending to the periphery of the conductive panel
surrounding the cutout,
the conductive panel defining a strip extending between opposed
sides of the periphery separating portions of the cutout with which
the plug-receiving cavities of the connector are aligned for
mating, and
the metal shell including a pair of tabs at its forward end
traversing the mating face, each extending toward the other and
angled forwardly from the mating face between the cutout portions
of the conductive panel to define ground connections therewith, for
enhanced shielding of the connector at the cutout.
4. The electrical arrangement as set forth in claim 3 wherein
additional tabs extend outwardly and at an angle forwardly from the
metal shell forward end to assuredly engage the panel cutout
periphery.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This relates to the field of electrical connectors and more
particularly to connectors having shields therearound.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Electrical connectors are known that include shields therearound
for protection against transmission and reception of
electromagnetic interference. In U.S. patent application Ser. No.
08/629,485 filed Apr. 10, 1996 and assigned to the assignee hereof,
a connector is disclosed having a shield member therearound and is
mountable to a circuit board for placement at an input/output port
of an electronic apparatus such as a computer. The input/output
port is an aperture through a conductive panel member of the
apparatus. Preferably the shield of the connector is in
electrically engagement with the conductive panel to define a
chassis ground, after mounting of the connector.
It is desired to provide enhanced shielding of the connector at the
input/output port.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides enhanced shielding of a connector at
an input/output port, for a connector having a pair of
plug-receiving cavities associated with respective plug connectors
and matable therewith at the port. Two tabs extend toward each
other from opposed sides of the shell forward end and are angled
forwardly, and free ends thereof establish a ground connection with
a strip of the panel dividing the cutout into two portions
associated with plug connectors matable in separate cavities of the
receptacle connector.
An embodiment of the present invention will now be described by way
of example with reference to the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is an isometric view of the connector of the present
invention;
FIGS. 2 and 3 are isometric views of the shield member and the
housing member, respectively, of the connector of FIG. 1;
FIG. 4 is an elevation view of the rear face of the connector of
FIG. 1;
FIGS. 5 and 6 are isometric views of alternate embodiments of
connectors of the invention, with FIG. 6 also showing a panel
cutout with which the present invention is especially useful;
and
FIGS. 7 and 8 are an isometric and an enlarged part section view of
an additional embodiment of the connector of the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Connector 10 in FIGS. 1 to 4 includes an insulative housing 12
disposed within a conductive shell 14 that defines an EMI shield.
Mating face 16 is exposed by forward end 18 of shell 14 for mating,
and is shown to define two plug-receiving cavities 20,22. Shell 14
includes an array of short arcuate flanges 24 about the periphery
of the mating face and is further shown to include a pair of
elongate tabs 26 angled forwardly and toward each other from
opposed sides of forward end 18, forwardly of and aligned with the
central wall 28 of housing 12 between cavities 20,22. Also shown
are spring arm contact sections 30 extending rearwardly and
inwardly into the cavities for free ends thereof to engage the
corresponding shields of the mating plugs (not shown); and
retention arms 32 extending forwardly and into the cavities for
free ends to seat within recesses in the side walls of the mating
plugs to maintain the connectors in a mated condition.
Shell 14 also includes a bottom end 34 surrounding board-mounting
face 36 of housing 12, and further includes an array of
board-retention legs 38 adapted to cooperate with mounting holes of
a circuit board (not shown) on which connector 10 is to be mounted.
As seen in FIG. 4, rearward end 40 of shell 14 exposes rear face 42
of the connector housing.
A plurality of contacts 44 is disposed in connector 10 with first
contact sections 46 disposed within channels 48 of support walls 50
of housing 12 that are positioned plug-receiving cavities 20,22.
Right-angle legs 52 extend along rear fake 42 to second contact
sections 54 depending below board-mounting face 36 for electrical
connection with circuits of the circuit board. It can be seen that
retention embossments 56 generate an interference fit of legs 52
within respective channels 58 extending inwardly from rear face 42
of housing 12 along board-mounting face 36.
Shell 14 is retained onto housing 12 by tabs 60 of along the bottom
end 34 of shell 14 being seated within slots 62 of housing bottom
36 to prevent separation of the shell along the seam 88 (FIGS. 1
and 2) resulting from the stamping and forming of shell 14, latches
64 of housing 12 seating within recess 66 of shell 14, and
stabilizing rib 68 of housing 12 disposed in recess 70 at shell
rear end 40.
An inner conductive member or shell 72 is seen in FIG. 4 to be
inserted into housing 12, electrically engaged by interconnect arms
74 of shell 14, and provide plug-retention arms 76 (leading ends of
which are seen in FIGS. 1 and 5) similar to arms 32 of shell 14.
Upper and lower plates 78 are inserted into slots 80 of housing 12
extending forwardly from rear face 42. Retention arms 76 extend
forwardly from upper and lower plates 78 of the inner shell member
and in recesses 82 of central wall 28, and are disposed on the
opposite side of cavities 20,22 from arms 32 to engage opposite
outer surfaces of mating plug connectors inserted into respective
cavities 20,22. Inner shell member 70 is retained within connector
10 such as by rearwardly extending locking lances (not shown) on
the upper and lower plates latching forwardly of stop surfaces
defined within the body of housing 12 adjacent to slots 80
rearwardly of cavities 20,22.
The pair of tabs 26 extend from opposed sides of forward end 18 of
shell 14 toward each other and angled forwardly. Tabs 26 are
associated with the panel cutout at which connector 10 is mounted
in an electronic apparatus such as a computer. A panel 90 with a
cutout 92 is shown in FIG. 6 and has cutout portions 94 separated
by a strip 96 joining opposed sides of the periphery 98 of the
cutout. Upon mounting of the connector at the cutout,
plug-receiving cavities 20,22 are aligned with respective cutout
portions 94, flanges 24 abut periphery 98 of cutout 90, and tabs 26
abut strip 96 to establish ground connections intermediate cutout
portions 94 for enhanced shielding of the connector at the cutout.
The tabs also assure an electrical grounding connection between
shell 14 and panel 90 in the event that mounting of the circuit
board to which connector 10 is mounted, within the apparatus
adjacent cutout 90, results in an incremental spacing between
flanges 24 and the panel. Even if flanges 24 are not in engagement
with the panel, the flanges provide shielding to substantially
close the gap between the cutout periphery and the shell and thus
provide substantial shielding benefits, but it is preferable that
actual ground engagement be attained between the shell and the
panel.
Connector 100 in FIG. 5 illustrates another embodiment of the
present invention in which shell 102 includes along forward end 18
thereof, pairs of upper and lower tabs 104 that will engage the
panel upon the connector being mounted within an apparatus at the
panel cutout. Upper and lower tabs 104 are angled to extend
forwardly and outwardly from the connector mating face, similarly
to tabs 26. Connector 100 also shows additional latches 64 of
housing 106 seated within respective recesses 66, if desired.
In FIG. 6 is shown an additional embodiment of connector 200 having
shell 202 enclosing housing 204, wherein a T-shaped projection 206
of housing 204 extends outwardly to be received into a slot 208 of
shell 202. The constriction of the T-shaped projection seats
forwardly of barbs of the slot, to retain the projection in
position and securing the shell on the housing in a fixed position.
T-shaped projection 206 assists in maintaining the side walls of
shell 202 adjacent the side walls of housing 204, with respect to
the open seam along the connector bottom resulting from the
stamping and forming procedure for fabricating shell 202 (see FIGS.
1 and 2).
In FIGS. 7 and 8, connector embodiment 300 with shell 302 enclosing
housing 304, an alternative manner is shown of establishing the
electrical connection between the inner shell member 306 and shell
302. Tab 308 of the inner shell member is clinched around a free
end 310 of arm 312 of shell 302 along rear end 314 of shell
302.
Other modifications and revisions may be made to the specific
embodiments disclosed herein, that are within the spirit of the
invention and the scope of the claims.
* * * * *